​THE TESTOSTERONE DIET:Your Ultimate Meal Plan & Nutrition Guide

If you're serious about naturally increasing your testosterone, you NEED to focus on your diet.

Why?

Well, the building blocks of testosterone are literally formed by the foods you eat.

If you don't eat right, nothing else you do for increasing T will matter.

The Testosterone Diet is your complete guide on how to eat in a way that supports optimal T-levels for years to come. Plus, I've also put together a step-by-step meal plan that will help you get things started. Let's do this.

How Dietary Fat Intake Affects Testosterone Levels

This makes dietary fat intake the most critical component of testosterone nutrition.

When figuring out how to fit fats into your diet, there are two factors to consider:

The total amount of fat in your diet.

The source that this fat is coming from.

How much fat should you eat to optimize T?

The Institute of Medicine recommends adults to get 20-35% of their daily calories from fats (10)

For the average 185 lb guy who eats 2000 calories a day, this means anywhere from 45-75 grams of fat per day.

That's all good and well.

But what does this recommendation mean for me:

I'm 6 feet tall, weigh 185 lbs, and lift weights anywhere from 3-6 hours per week. I have about 15-20 pounds more muscle than the average guy of my height and weight. As a result, I also need more calories to sustain my lean body mass, around 2750 to be precise.

If I were to apply the recommendation from the Institute of Medicine, that comes out to 60-106 grams of fat per day.

This is way too high and my body needs nowhere near 106 grams of dietary fat.

The problem with the recommendation from IoM is that it doesn't account for body composition differences.

So regardless of whether you have 10% body fat or 35% body fat, if your calorie intake is the same, your fat intake recommendation would also be the same.

This is why I like to make the recommendation based off of the n﻿utritional research performed by Mike Matthews:

Consume 0.3 grams of fat per pound of lean body mass.

This is a solid recommendation that accounts for differences in weight, body fat, and lean muscle mass.

I'm at about 10% body fat, and using the above recommendation, my dietary fat intake comes out at around 50 grams (0.9*185*0.3).

How the different types of fat affect testosterone

Fats come in a variety of forms, each varying in its effects on testosterone:

Polyunsaturated fats are found in foods like soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, as well as some fatty fish.

Monounsaturated fats are found in foods like red meat, nuts, avocados, and olive oil.

Trans fats are mostly artificial and created in an industrial process. They are found in baked goods, fried foods, potato chips, and margarine. Try and avoid trans fats for the most part.

The ratio between these different types of fat in your diet is what makes all the difference.

Scientists at the Centre of Sports Medicine conducted a study (11) in which they analyzed the influence of dietary nutrients on testosterone. They found that saturated and monounsaturated fat intake were the strongest predictors of T levels . Polyunsaturated fat intake, on the other hand, was associated with lower testosterone levels.

Recall that GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) is what triggers the production of testosterone.

GnRH is directly regulated by circulating glucose levels.

When there’s an adequate amount of glucose running through our blood, muscles, and brain, the hypothalamus releases more GnRH and the body synthesizes more testosterone. Low glucose triggers the opposite effect (21).

A lower carb intake means lower blood glucose.

Higher blood glucose levels also result in higher insulin levels.

Insulin (in the right amounts) has been shown to reduce muscle breakdown and create a more anabolic environment conducive for muscle growth (23).

All-in-all:

Low-carb diets lead to lower testosterone levels.

Let’s take a look at the results from a study (22) published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology:

Subjects were divided into two groups.

Both groups were tested for free testosterone to cortisol (fTC) ratio before the study began.

Group 1 ate 60% of daily calories from carbs.

Group 2 ate 30% of daily calories from carbs.

Subjects from both groups performed three consecutive days of training.

On the fourth day, group 2 had a signficantly lower fTC ratio (-43%) while group 1 maintained their fTC ratio.

The group on a low carb diet ate 225 grams of carbs (which isn't really low at all) while the group on the high carb diet ate 353 grams of carbs.

Results revealed that the subjects consuming fewer carbs lost more strength, had slower recovery, and had slower muscle growth.

In yet another study (25), researchers had their subjects depleted of glucose and then put on a high or low carb diet for 2 days, followed by a strenuous leg workout.

The subjects on the low carb diet had higher rates of protein breakdown and lower rates of protein synthesis, i.e. less muscle growth than their high-carb counterparts.

The research is abundantly clear on this:

Carbs are an essential component of a testosterone-boosting diet.

The Different Types of Carbs & How They Affect T

Like with fats, carbs come in different forms. How your body responds to them depends on their type.

There are two types of carbohydrates:

Simple Carbs

Complex Carbs

Simple carbs include stuff like candy, soda, and white bread. Upon consumption, they are instantly absorbed in the blood stream and quickly spike insulin levels.

Generally speaking, a spike in blood sugar leads to a drop in testosterone (26). Rapidly fluctuating blood sugar levels also lead to energy crashes and fat gain.

There is a time, however, when it can be beneficial for you to experience a spike in blood sugar:

After completing a heavy workout, for example, when muscle glycogen has been depleted. If you eat simple carbs during this time they are more likely to replenish your muscles than to be taken up as fat.

Complex carbs include stuff like kidney beans, starchy vegetables, and whole-grain oatmeal. They are generally considered “healthy”, but as you’ve learned, it depends on the context.

When you’re worn out after a workout and your muscles are crying out to be replenished, complex carbs won’t do much to aid recovery.

The fiber in whole, complex carbs takes time to be broken down and enter the blood stream.

For a more in-depth look at how different carbs affect your body, check out the Glycemic Index.

The GI classifies foods based on how quickly they enter the blood stream and spike blood sugar.

Key Takeaway

Carbohydrates support testosterone and are also important for the regulation of muscle growth, energy, and mood. Stick with consuming carbs from a complex source, unless it's around workouts.

How Protein Intake Affects Testosterone Production

Protein has enjoyed a steady rise to prominence thanks to the bodybuilding and fitness communities.

The notion being that a higher protein intake means a faster rate of muscle growth.

The flaw in this thinking is that protein does not actually stimulate muscle growth.

Lifting weights stimulates muscle growth.

Protein just has to be there to allow the muscle to repair.

And get this:

Protein is the leastimportant macronutrientfor T production.

This might come as a shock, but a high protein diet can actually be detrimental towards T.

This is because, with a fixed number of calories, an increased consumption of protein means a decreased intake of fat and carbohydrates, both of which are more important for testosterone.

To provide all of this with a scientific context, let’s take a look at the results from a study (27) that aimed to observe the influence of protein/carbohydrate ratio on testosterone:

One group of subjects was put on a high-protein, low-carb diet.

The second group was put on a high-carb, low-protein diet.

Calories and fat were equal across both groups.

At the end of ten days, the group on a high-protein, low-carb diet had 26% lower total testosterone levels.

The group on a high-carb, low-protein diet had 40% lower SHBG concentrations, meaning that more testosterone was allowed to remain in its free form.

Furthermore, the group on a high-carb, low protein diet had 37% lower cortisol concentrations.

Does this mean that low-protein diets are the answer to higher testosterone levels?

Well, not quite.

It is important to observe the context of particular studies before jumping to any rash conclusions.

As far as the source is concerned, try and get most of it from animal sources.

Protein is the final piece of the macronutrient puzzle.

Key Takeaway

Only after looking at the complete macronutrient profile, with fats, carbs, and protein included, can we move on to determining the quantities of each for optimal testosterone support.

CHAPTER 4:How Micronutrients Affect Testosterone​

Micronutrients are comprised of vitamins and minerals.

They are required by your body in small amounts, but play a critical role in human development, well-being, and of course, T production

Large portions of the US population are deficient in vitamins A, C, D, and E (35, 31, 74, and 67% respectively), calcium (39%), and magnesium (46%) (29).

Let’s look at how each of these factor in to the testosterone equation:

Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant. In a study of 155 twins, testosterone levels were seen to be positively correlated with vitamin A intake (30).

Vitamin C is another powerful antioxidant that has been shown to protect the testes from oxidative stress, and therefore preserve T levels (31).

Vitamin D benefits us in many ways from strengthening our bones to improving our mood. As far as T levels are concerned, men supplementing with vitamin D tend to have significantly higher testosterone than men who don't (32).

Vitamin E is also an antioxidant. Men supplementing with vitamin E have been shown to have higher T levels (33).

Calcium is important for bone health. One study showed that the increase in testosterone is greater after lifting weights when accompanied by calcium supplementation (34).

Magnesium is a key mineral that has many important roles in the body. Studies have shown magnesium intake to hold a direct, positive relationship with testosterone production. (35).

Even if you're not necessarily deficient in these vitamins and minerals, merely having sub-optimal levels of them will result in sub-optimal T levels.

Although possible, it can prove difficult to consume optimal amounts of these micronutrients through diet alone. This is where supplementation can help.

A No B.S. Guide to Testosterone Supplements

Most test boosters available at your local GNC or supplement store will do next to nothing for your T-levels.

Also:

Natural test boosters are not the same as TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) or anabolic steroids. The latter methods actually involve putting exogenous hormones into your body. Test boosters, on the other hand, only provide your body with the raw materials to naturally stimulate T-production.

It's important for you to view supplements as something to supplement your diet and lifestyle with. They should never be relied upon as the major focus of your efforts.

Companies spend big bucks to have you believe in a "magic-pill" solution, but believe me when I say:

It doesn't exist.

And even when it does (in the form of TRT or steroids), the negative repercussions in the long-run far outweigh the benefits.

CHAPTER 5:A List of Testosterone Boosting Foods​

Now that we have T-Nutrition 101 out of the way, we move on to food choices.

These foods do not contain testosterone (no food does). ​

They merely provide your body with the nutrients that support T production.

My aim is to give you a number of options so that you start eating more of the foods that support T and, in effect, begin to crowd out the foods that don't.

1. Whole Eggs

Whole eggs are an all round superfood.

Not only do they provide a rich source of vitamins and minerals, but they also pack-a-punch of T-boosting fats (38% saturated, 44% monounsaturated), protein, and HDL (read: good) cholesterol.

Many misinformed "health conscious" individuals think that cholesterol is bad and that it should be avoided at all costs. These are the same people who remove the yolk and opt for egg-white omelettes.

Whether cholesterol is "good" or "bad" for you is a complicated topic and goes beyond the scope of this article. As far as its relationship with T is concerned just know this:

Testosterone is literally made out of dietary cholesterol.

Eating the yolk provides your body with the fundamental building block it needs to produce T.

17. Bananas

But banana's also deliver a little known mineral called bromelain, which has been shown (51) to support testosterone production.

18. Potatoes

You already know that carbohydrate consumption is critical for your body to produce optimal levels of T.

This is especially true if you are a man who lifts weights regularly.

The problem is that many of the carbs that form the basis of the Modern American Diet come from refined grains.

The extent to which grains affect the human body is beyond the scope of this article, but just know that eating refined grains causes inflammation (52) and spikes blood sugar (53). Both of these outcomes negatively affect testosterone.

This is why I opt for potatoes (all kinds) as one of my main carb source.

They provide me with the energy to power through my workouts while minimizing the effect of cortisol.

19. Kidney Beans

Not only are kidney beans loaded with zinc, magnesium, and iron, but they also provide more protein than any other plant source.

31. Grass-Fed Beef

Steak has been my go to meal for a couple of years now, and the best part is that it's so easy to make.

And, like I mentioned above, I always go for grass-fed meats.

Animals brought into a factory farmed environment are injected with growth hormone (to make them grow as fast as possible), fed an unnatural diet (animals that are used to eating grass are fed grains), and given antibiotics (because the animals are getting sick from growing artificially quickly and an unnatural diet).

Foods That Lower Testosterone Levels

Now that we have a pretty dense list of foods that support testosterone production, I also want to go over some foods for you to avoid.

Testosterone Boosting Snacks

Here's The Next Step:

I wrote this article to be an all encompassing guide to testosterone nutrition, and, as such, it is coming in at over 6,000 words.

If you want a simple, step-by-step execution plan in alignment with these principles check this out:

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